Tells the true stories of the hundreds of murder trials that take place every year in Sydney, NSW - most of which go unreported. Not only the facts of the matter, but also attempts to explain the often complex legal shenanigans that can take place during trials and appeals. Dedicated to the victims and their loved ones.

20 June, 2010

A brutal beating

In 1995 Blanch, Taylor and Matthews were all in prison together in Broken Hill, for various offences. In the months leading up to October they concocted a plan to escape together. Blanch covertly made three copies of the keys which would open the lock on the door of his cell, which he shared with Taylor. On October 26 he managed to break the latch system on the storeroom door, which went unnoticed by guards. By about 6pm, Taylor and Blanch were locked away in their cell, No. 13.

Matthews was not to be locked up until 9pm, as he had a 'C' classification that gave him much more freedom within the jail. Blanch and Taylor were still classified 'B'. All three men were aware that after the 'C' prisoners were locked away at 9pm, the guards did not come around again to check any of the cells by opening the doors, or checking the observation panel.

At about 8pm Matthews opened up the door of cell No. 13 using one of Blanch's keys. Blanch left the cell and hid in the storeroom. Matthews was then locked inside cell 13 with Taylor, and they made up the beds to look like they were both occupied. Not long afterwards Blanch left his hiding spot in the storeroom and used another key to let Matthews and Taylor out. They all went and hid in the storeroom together until about 9:20pm. Matthews grabbed some wire cutters and other tools while he was there. Blanch changed out of his prison greens into civilian clothes.

They made their way out to the back compound area and Blanch used the wire cutters to cut the razor wire, and pinned it back with a hook. They managed to get a rope that they had made out of a series of sheets tied together earlier by Blanch and Taylor up over the wall, and once it was in position they made it to the top of the wall and down the other side, to the outside of the jail.

They all headed straight to the Lodge Motel in Broken Hill. Blanch managed to check in, as he was not dressed in prison greens, after which Matthews and Taylor went out to get some civilian clothes, as well as some liquor. They came back to room No. 16 at the Motel and had drinks to celebrate their successful escape. Once that ran out, they tried to get the night officer of the motel to open up so they could gain access to another hotel room, which was occupied by two older people, including Mr Curran.

Mr Curran was a state public servant, who was also spending the night at the Lodge Motel for work. As it turned out, although he'd shut the door to his room, he had not locked it properly, and the three men managed to get in easily. They desperately needed money to continue with their plans. Mr Curran had very little cash on him, so they became determined to wring his PIN number out of him.

Although it was not easy to establish who exactly did what to poor Mr Curran, there was no doubt he was subjected to a brutal and terrifying experience. He was tied up, tortured in various way including having his eyes gouged, kicked and punched all over, and eventually stabbed several times. These assaults went on for a lengthy period of time, and left Mr Curran with permanent debilitating injuries. After being admitted to hospital, he had to undergo several surgeries in an attempt to fix some of the physical damage done to him. As for the psychological damage, needless to say that is ongoing.

Before the three escapees could finish their job they were discovered and again made their escape, seizing Mr Curran's car keys and making off in his car. However they were quickly caught by the police and returned to custody.

Simon Taylor was found to be the man who inflicted the stab wounds. He pleaded guilty to malicious wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, robbery in company, escaping lawful custody and stealing a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to a fixed term of five years for the malicious wounding, two years for the robbery, and one year for stealing the car - all to be served at the same time. For escaping lawful custody he received a sentence of four years and nine months with a non-parole period of one year and nine months, to be served after the completion of the five-year malicious wounding sentence. So his total time in custody was nine years and nine months, with a non-parole period of six years and nine months.

Lance Matthews pleaded guilty to malicious wounding with intent to inflict GBH, robbery in company, escaping lawful custody and stealing a motor vehicle. For the malicious wounding he was sentenced to a fixed term of three years, for the robbery he received two years, and one year for stealing the car - again, all to be served at the same time. For the escape he received three years imprisonment, with a non-parole period. This sentence was also to start at the end of the three-year malicious wounding sentence. So the effective total was six years with a non-parole period of four years.

Peter Blanch pleaded guilty to malicious wounding with intent to inflict GBH, escaping lawful custody and stealing a motor vehicle. He was sentenced to a fixed term of four years imprisonment for the malicious wounding, and one year for stealing the car. For the escape he was sentenced to five years with a non-parole period of two years, to start at the end of the four-year malicious wounding sentence. The total was nine years with a non-parole period of six years.

The reason the wounding, robbery and car-theft offences are served at the same time is because they were committed at the same time, arising out of one set of factual circumstances. However, it is the law that sentences for escape are always added onto the end of any existing sentence.

Simon Taylor was due for release in July 2005, Peter Blanch in October 2004, and Lance Matthews in October 2002.